


My Unbecoming

by tillthestarsevaporate



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Comfort, Confessions, F/F, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Laurel can't control her emotions, Tumblr Prompt, dinahsiren - Freeform, sirencanary - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 20:32:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17794262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillthestarsevaporate/pseuds/tillthestarsevaporate
Summary: Laurel rushes to Star City when she hears that Dinah is hurt. While Dinah is still asleep after surgery, Laurel makes a few confessions.Post 7x13: Star City Slayer.Based on a Tumblr prompt by Anon:"(after 7.13) Laurel’s at the hospital only waiting for Dinah to wake up after the surgery and while she’s still “asleep”, she tells her how much she means to her and how scared she is of losing her."





	My Unbecoming

It’s chilly as Laurel Lance steps out of Star City Airport, her immediate destination Starling General Hospital, her most important and urgent concern the SCPD captain, Dinah Drake.

Last night, she got a call from Felicity telling her that Dinah was hurt and was taken to the hospital. She didn’t need to think twice before she cancelled the rest of her appointments at the conference due to a “family emergency” and booked the first flight back to Star City. Three hours later, she was boarding the plane, on her way to the woman she’s recently fallen quite hard for.

Laurel waves for the first cab she sees, and a very tense hour later, she’s getting out and in through the hospital doors. She asks for directions to the surgery waiting area and runs there. She finds Rene waiting there, which she expected, but was not prepared to deal with. Not with something more important consuming her mind. So she stands to the side, far from Rene, and doesn’t say anything or even acknowledge him.

Her plan fails when for some reason he decides to talk to her.

“I thought you were away for the week.”

How does she explain to him that she came back for Dinah? According to him, she’s a heartless villain who does not deserve any kindness.

“Why, Rene. I thought you didn’t care,” she shoots back.

“I don’t,” he retorts. “Why are you here?”

She decides to be civil with him, only for Dinah’s sake.

“I came as soon as I heard about Dinah. How is she?”

Rene snorts as if he doesn’t believe her. “Are you two friends now or something? I wouldn’t be surprised. She keeps defending you all the time.”

Laurel gives him one of her well-practised glares, and he concedes.

“She’s out of surgery and in recovery. The doctors aren’t allowing visitors yet, though, but I think she will be fine.”

Laurel releases a pent-up breath and asks, “What happened to her, Rene?”

“We were investigating the serial killer - I heard you also received a note from him. We caught that son of a bitch, but not before he attacked Dinah and sliced her throat.”

Laurel gasps, the shock quickening her heart rate further. “Rene, please, is she okay?”

“She’ll live, if that’s what you’re asking. Curtis had this prototype ready and cauterised the wound before she lost too much blood.”

Laurel sighs in relief. “Thank you,” she murmurs, the energy leaving her body, and sits down in one of the chairs on the other side of the room.

Felicity arrives a few minutes later.

“Laurel, you’re here,” she says, surprised.

“Yes. Thank you for calling me.”

“Of course.”

“You called her?” Rene interrupts.

“Yes, Rene, I called her. It’s time you got your head out of your ass and accepted the fact that she’s a part of the team now!”

“Is she? She tried to kill every one of us.”

“If I recall correctly, you almost killed several people, too.”

That shuts him up, and Laurel looks to Felicity, silently thanking her.

“By the way, the doctor just told me we can see Dinah, but only one person at a time.”

Laurel flies from her seat when she hears that. “Where is she?”

“With all due respect, Felicity, I should be the first one to see her,” says Rene.

“Shut up, Rene. Laurel goes first.” He sighs and sits back down.

Felicity motions for Laurel to follow her. They reach the door to Dinah’s room, and Laurel’s hand shakes as she reaches for the handle.

“Hey,” Felicity whispers. “She will be fine.”

Laurel nods. She opens the door and enters the room, and Felicity says, “I’ll give you two some privacy,” before closing the door behind Laurel.

The instant she’s inside, her eyes tear up at the sight of Dinah. Her eyes are closed, peaceful almost, and a big bandage covers her neck.

_Oh my God._

Tears slide down her face, arriving faster than she anticipated.

She finds a chair next to the bed and sits as close to Dinah’s bed as she can. She takes a deep breath and reaches for the other woman’s hand.

It’s cold.

_How dare they leave her this cold? Assholes!_

She pulls the covers further up Dinah’s torso and rubs her warmer hands against Dinah’s exposed hand to warm it up.

“Oh my God,” Laurel says out loud this time. No point in keeping things inside since no one is listening.

“I should have been there, Dinah. I should’ve protected you. The last time we talked you told me you were targeted by a serial killer. I should’ve come right away.”

Laurel sniffs and realises she can’t keep her thoughts to herself anymore.

“You protected and defended me when no one else agreed with you. I’ll never forget that. I’ve caused you unimaginable pain and you still had it in you to forgive me. You believed in me when I told you I wasn’t that person anymore. You accepted me for who I am while everyone kept comparing me to the ghost of someone who only shares my name and face. But you? I know it’s hard for you to believe, Dinah, but you have a big heart, even though I know you constantly tell yourself otherwise.

“When I lost Quentin, I lost the one person who cared about me. But you proved to me that he wasn’t the only one. And guess what, I care about you. More than I probably should.”

Tears are falling without restraint now. Hitched breathing overcomes Laurel’s lungs. Nevertheless, she continues.

“Dinah, if only you knew how much I respect the person you are. You truly inspire me to be a better person. Because of you, I think a hundred times before harming anyone, and I always end up changing my mind. So thank you for teaching me that it’s always better to do things the right way.

“You constantly put your life in danger for others and I started thinking: what if something were to happen to you? I couldn’t bear it. And the one time I am away from you, this happens! But you know what? I forgive you. If you woman up and survive this, I will forgive you. You are stronger than anyone I’ve ever met, so please, please, please… listen to me for once and wake up. Because I really miss you, and my life would be nothing without you.”

Laurel inhales deeply. Suddenly, she feels pressure against her hands. In her consumed, tearful state, she hadn’t borne to keep looking at Dinah and had bent her head down, looking at their clasped hands. As a result, she hadn’t noticed when Dinah woke up.

Quickly, like a thief caught red-handed, she wipes away her tears and stares at the other woman.

“How much of that did you hear?”

Dinah attempts to talk, then clears her throat.

“I respect you, too, Laurel,” she says hoarsely, a weak smile tugging at her lips.

_That smile? That smile would be the end of her._

Laurel feels her hands squeezed and smiles.

“How are you?”

“Do you really need to be asking me that?”

“I am sorry. Don’t talk. Rest your voice.” Laurel says.

A few minutes pass in silence, and Laurel can’t seem to know what to do with her hands. She frees one of them from Dinah’s clasp and traces patterns on the bed. She squeezes Dinah’s hand again, and Dinah squeezes back. When Laurel looks up, Dinah is crying.

“What’s wrong?” Laurel asks, reaching out her free hand to push a stray strand of hair behind Dinah’s ear.

She shakes her head. “I’m scared of losing my powers, Laurel.”

“I’m so sorry, Dinah,” Laurel says, lacking the words to make her feel better.

“If anyone understands, it’s you. If anyone knows the true me, the real me, it’s you.”

“I remember.” But she’s surprised that Dinah does.

After a moment of hesitation, she says, “Dinah, I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”

Dinah nods as best as she could, her eyes still wet. “Laurel, I think I care about you.”

_That’s it. Pride be damned._

“Ok, enough is enough. Move over.”

“What?”

“Now.”

“I would need some help, though.”

“What am I? A potato? Here.” Laurel counters as she gets up from her chair and helps Dinah scoot over to one side of the bed.

She then fills the empty space and lies on her side next to Dinah. She takes her hand again.

“Laurel, what are you doing?”

How can she explain to her how much she cares without giving away too much? How can she tell her how much she craves contact? How much she wants to make her feel better?

“Isn’t that what everybody calls cuddling?” Laurel asks.

“Um, yes.”

“I guess we’re cuddling, then.”

“Okay.”

“You don’t know how hard it is for me to do that, so stop complaining.”

“I know.”

“I just care about you, okay?” Flustered Laurel sure can’t keep her mouth shut.

“Okay,” Dinah smiles. “For the record, this really means a lot to me.”

“Shut up and rest now. Come on.”

Dinah chuckles.

The two women stop talking, Laurel’s arm laid around Dinah’s head, her hand caressing her hair. Her other hand clasped in Dinah’s, her heart beating fast, but this time it isn't because she’s worried.

She delights in the contact, hoping Dinah knows how much she cares.

Resting against each other, their breathing slows down in tandem and they fall asleep, hands entwined, not a care in the world about who might come in and see them like this.

“If you only knew what I wouldn’t do for you, my love,” is the last thing Laurel Lance utters. She hears a whispered “I love you, too,” before fully succumbing to slumber.


End file.
